


Zero Seconds Left

by FullmetalLemons (orphan_account)



Category: Vampire Knight (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Blood Drinking, Confessions, Courage, Cute, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Foreplay, Hand Jobs, Heartbreak, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, Love Confessions, Lust, Making Out, Oral Sex, Original Character(s), Passion, Sad, Sex, Sexual Content, Spoilers, Vaginal Fingering, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-31
Updated: 2017-02-08
Packaged: 2018-09-21 02:27:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 19,844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9527741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/FullmetalLemons
Summary: Tags will be updated as the story progresses. This focuses around the first-person POV of an original female character, and takes place after the events of Vampire Knight: Guilty.





	1. Zero

I was scared. My breathing was quickened, my heart was racing, and my chest felt tight. I looked around the room from the middle of the bed, hugging my knees to my chest. The suite was not frightening- it was decorated nicely, and it felt warm and inviting. The Headmaster had been kind, almost exuberant at my arrival- I had no reason to be afraid of this place. This was the safest place for me to be; Father had said so himself. Still, I found myself with my arms wrapped around my legs and tears running down my face.  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
It took me hours to finally fall asleep, but when I awoke the next morning, I found myself hungering deeply. I laid in the bed and realized that I smelled the strangest mix of blood that I had ever smelled before- it smelled like the most powerful Pureblood I ever could have imagined. Slowly, I rose from the bed and opened up my suitcase, taking out a skirt and shirt with my underclothes. I caught a glimpse of myself in the bedroom mirror as I headed towards the door- my scarlet hair fell loosely, the ends curling at my bosom. My lilac eyes were lined with pink from crying. I took a deep breath and turned the handle of the bedroom door, stepping quietly into the hallway.  
I felt uneasy as I turned the handle to the bathroom, which the Headmaster had pointed out to me last night. As soon as I opened the door and saw the silver-haired vampire washing his face at the sink, I realized where the uneasy feeling was coming from. I gasped loudly, quickly backing out of the doorway and slamming the door closed. “I’m sorry!” I scrambled for my skirt, which had fallen from my arms and onto the floor. “I’m really sorry!”  
The door opened again as I was still on the ground, gathering my skirt. I looked up and found the vampire staring at me with lilac eyes that matched my own. My heart felt like it was going to pound out of my chest. “I-I’m sorry.” I whispered, barely audible. The young man held out his hand, to help me stand. I took it, taking a step away from him as I stood. The Headmaster had told me that there was someone else staying in his other guest suite. He hadn’t mentioned that he was a powerful vampire, however.  
It was then that I noticed the symbol tattooed on his neck- the symbol of a vampire hunter. I gaped at him in confusion- I could sense that he was a vampire, but was he also a vampire hunter? What a contradiction. He still wouldn’t say a word to me, but did not break eye contact for a second. I shifted my weight uneasily, finally breaking away from his gaze to stare at the bundle of clothes in my arms.  
“My name is Zero.” He finally spoke. His voice was gruff, but somehow soothing. He spoke carefully and slowly, and for some reason, it made me feel more at ease.  
“My name is Hanako.” I told him as I raised my eyes to him once more. “B-but you can just call me Hana.”  
“Hana.” He repeated. “Are you a vampire?” He asked me bluntly.  
I glanced at his tattoo again, my stomach feeling sick. I could tell he was a vampire- and not just any vampire, at that. He smelled of Pureblood- but not one Pureblood. His blood smelled like a smorgasbord of tastes. I swallowed hard, my fangs beginning to ache from my hunger and the tantalizing smell of his blood. Finally, I nodded, aware that my hunger must be giving me away, anyway.  
“Don’t be afraid.” He told me softly. He went into his pocket, taking out a small metal box and placing it in my palm, using his own hand to close mine around the box. “Put one of these in a glass of water. It will help with the hunger.”  
I could feel my hand begin to sweat as he pulled his hand away from mine. “D-don’t you need them?” I asked him quietly.  
Zero shook his head. “They are no use to me.” He said. “If you need anything, that’s my room right there.” He pointed down the hallway. “It was nice to meet you, Hana.”  
“It was nice to meet you.”  
With that, he brushed past me and walked down the hall, into his room. I stood outside the bathroom for a few moments before walking inside. I plugged up the bathtub and began running water into it, and then I opened up the metal box Zero had given me. Blood tablets. I figured as much. There were some glasses and a large bottle of mouthwash on the counter. I filled a glass halfway with water from the sink and dropped a blood tablet in.  
I stripped down, leaving my clothes in the hamper as the Headmaster had told me to. He said he had the laundry done once a week, and my clothes would be laundered and folded in my bedroom each week. As I tossed my underwear into the hamper, I hoped that he wasn’t the one doing the wash. When the tub was filled up, I lowered myself into the warm water with the glass of blood water. I sipped it slowly, wrinkling my nose at the taste. Nothing could ever compare to the taste of fresh blood. Certainly not this watery, bitter drink made from a pill.  
I sat in the bath for a long while after I had drank my blood water and bathed myself. I replayed my interaction with Zero in my head a few times. There was something about him that peaked my curiosity- of course, there was the unusual smell of his blood. But there was something else, too. His eyes looked lilac eyes had looked forlorn. I wondered if he could see that my eyes matched his as well, in both color and in emotion.


	2. Homesick

I awoke to a knock on my door and looked at the clock. It was six in the evening. I groaned, but was at least grateful to be getting back on the proper sleeping schedule for a vampire. In the weeks that had passed, I found myself having to sleep at night and be awake during the day, which had been uncomfortable, to say the least.  
“Come in.”  
Zero entered the room, carrying a tray in his hands. He placed it on the small table in the middle of the room and gave me a small smile. “The Headmaster wanted me to bring you some dinner.”  
“Thank you; I could have gone out and…You didn’t have to bring it in here for me.” I stammered nervously.  
Zero’s smile grew a bit, and he looked amused. “Don’t worry about it. You should come eat it while it’s warm, though.” He advised me.  
I nodded, rising from the bed. “Thank you, Zero.” I sat in one of the chairs on either side of the table. “Would you…Like to stay and talk? I know we didn’t get introduced properly this morning…I’m sorry for barging in on you.” I apologized, picking at the rice and curry on the tray.  
Zero laughed a little and sat down across from me. “That door doesn’t lock properly, it wasn’t your fault.”  
I felt my face grow warm. “I’ll knock next time.” I promised.  
“How old are you?” Zero asked me.  
“I’m seventeen. What about you?” The curry wasn’t too spicy, and I was glad about that. I wasn’t a fan of very spicy food.  
“I’m eighteen.” The way Zero stared at me made me feel both uncomfortable yet safe at the same time. The contradicting feelings welled up inside of me. I didn’t know what to think of him yet. Zero sighed quietly. “There’s…There’s no more night class here, for vampires.”  
I nodded. “I know. I’m kind of glad there isn’t, to tell you the truth. I didn’t come here for lessons. Were you in the night class before it ended?” I pried.  
Zero shook his head. “I was in the day class, actually. Long story. But, I won’t be attending classes anymore. I guess you could say that I’m not here for lessons anymore, either.” Zero leaned in a bit, and lowered his voice. “Can I ask you why you did come here?”  
I could feel my lip tremble as I nodded my head. I didn’t want to think about why I came here. Being here was hard enough already, away from Father and my home. “I came here to be safe.” Was all I could manage to say. I swallowed hard, willing the need to cry to stop pestering me.  
“I’m sorry.” Zero apologized. “I shouldn’t have asked. Forgive me if I upset you.”  
I shook my head, my dinner now finished. The curry had been delicious. “No, it’s okay. I’m just…A little homesick, is all.” I admitted.  
“I came here to be safe, too.” Zero told me, his eyes showing genuine empathy. “I had lost my mother and father, and my twin brother. But…” His voice trailed off for a moment. “Someone was here, who helped me to feel at home here.” He smiled at me, but I could tell that he was hurting, thinking about whomever he had been thinking about. “I know what it’s like to feel how you do. So if you need anything at all, I’m right across the hall. I’m not just saying that to be polite.”  
Zero, though mysterious, was clearly a very caring person. My heart swelled at his genuine concern, and I had to fight off the urge to embrace him. I was grateful to know that he was there, even though I knew that I would be too embarrassed to ask for his comfort or companionship. “Thank you. That means a lot to me. I-I think I’ll be feeling better once I get used to things here.” I told him, managing a small smile. I could feel tears welling in my eyes, and I dug my fingernail into the palm of my hand, mentally begging my eyes to dry themselves before I embarrassed myself in front of Zero.  
Zero’s eyes continued to burn through me, making me fear that he could see right through me, and know how I was feeling. He stood then, and gave me a small smile as he left the room. Before he was even fully through the doorway, the tears spilled over my eyes. I finally relaxed, allowing my sadness to be released. I drew my knees to my chest, aware that my body was shaking from the force of my sobs. I cried for Mother, and for Father. I cried for the loneliness I felt, the isolation. I cried because I didn’t fully understand why Father had sent me away. I cried because I didn’t know when I would see Father again, or if I ever would at all. I didn’t care if I was crying like a child at seventeen years of age, and I didn’t care if I was acting more emotional than I ought to. I was miserable, and couldn’t help myself.  
“Hana.” Zero’s voice was outside my door.  
I wiped my eyes on the sleeve of my shirt quickly, trying to compose myself. “Just a second.” I called. I took a deep breath, patting the tearstains from my face with my sleeve. I stood and opened the door slowly, refusing to look anywhere but the floor. I gasped as I was wrapped in a warmth, my face pressing against the linen of Zero’s shirt. He was hugging me. A young man who I had just met that day was hugging me. And for some reason, I relaxed in his strong arms.  
I couldn’t imagine how strong his senses must be to have heard me from down the hall. I had made a point to be as quiet as possible until I was sure that he was gone. I didn’t let myself shed anymore tears. I couldn’t get his shirt wet, let him feel me shaking in his arms. I didn’t know whether to feel comfort or embarrassment at that time. All I knew was that I felt safe, even if it was just for a few moments.


	3. Cottontail

Three days passed, and my hunger only grew. I was taking blood tablets every few hours, and I was almost out of them. Yet, my cravings were never satisfied. At home, Father would have fresh blood brought to us every week. I didn’t know where it came from, nor did I dare ask. All I knew was that my body was not adjusting well to the lack of real blood. My body felt ill; I was getting hot and cold sweats. I was sleeping later, until nearly eight at night. My head pounded, my fangs ached, and my muscles felt weak.  
I needed real blood. Outside, there was a large wooded area. There must be animals out there. Had I really gotten to this point? Was I really willing to feed on an animal, just to stop my body from going through these withdrawals? I had never even fed on a live person, much less killed anything, and I had never wanted to. I still didn’t. But I needed to feed on something substantial.  
I crept from my room at half past eight, my shoes in my hands. I took extra caution when passing Zero’s room, knowing that his keen sense of hearing could easily pick up on my footsteps. When I got down the stairs, I put on my shoes and slipped out the front door. To my right was the dormitory, and to my left was the woods. I went into the woods, stepping carefully and quietly. My eyes were better in the dark than they were in the sunlight. I stood with my back against a tree, patiently waiting for any form of wildlife to make itself known.  
I shivered lightly; it was colder out than I had thought. I wasn’t wearing a jacket, either. Only my shoes and socks, skirt, and a long-sleeved shirt. I breathed out of my mouth, to see if I could see my breath in the chilly air. I couldn’t. My shivering stopped suddenly as I heard a light rustling in some nearby bushes. Slowly, I crouched down, my eyes resting on the area where the sound had come from. I breathed slowly and softly, ready for whatever was in those bushes to emerge.  
It was a rabbit. Of course, it had to be a cute little rabbit. He hopped past me slowly, naïve of my very presence. He stopped, wrinkled his nose, and shook his white, fluffy cotton-ball tail. I frowned, mentally kicking myself. How could I sink my teeth into this poor creature? I’d have better luck convincing myself to keep him as a pet.  
Finally, the rabbit noticed me, probably due to my soft sighing. He looked at me, his ears twitching. Slowly, I offered out my hand. “Come here, little bunny.” I whispered. “Come here, sweetheart.”  
Cautiously, the rabbit cocked his head at me, sniffing the area around my outstretched hand. He shuffled closer, his whiskers tickling my fingertips. I felt something warm graze my fingertips, and I realized it was his tongue. I giggled softly. The rabbit nuzzled the top of his head against my fingers, and I moved my hand to pet the top of his head. He was the softest thing I’d ever felt. There was no way I could harm him in any way.  
Suddenly, the rabbit’s body grew tense. He jumped in fear of something unknown to me, and I felt a sharp pain in my index finger. “Ouch!” I exclaimed, listening carefully, trying to hear what the rabbit had heard. He scurried off into the bushes again, and I stayed crouched down on the ground. Finally, I heard the footsteps that the rabbit must have been able to sense before I was.  
“Hana?”  
I looked up, as Zero approached my side. “H-hi, Zero.” I said quietly.  
His expression was a mix of confusion and concern. “What are you doing out here? It’s not safe to be out alone.”  
I shook my head. “I just wanted some fresh air.” I laughed nervously, tucking my hair behind my ear. As I lowered my hand again, I noticed that my finger was bleeding where the rabbit had bit me. “I made friends with some wildlife.” I joked.  
Zero’s expression remained unchanged. “You’re bleeding.” He said factually, crouching down next to me. He reached out and took my hand, and I swear that my heart stopped beating. His hand felt warm, his fingers gently grasping my palm. Slowly, he raised my hand to his lips and licked the small dribble of blood emerging from the rabbit’s bite. I gasped softly, and then began to blush at my own reaction. Zero stopped and look at me, his eyes full of question. “You smelled like a Pureblood.” He said softly, “But your blood tastes weak.”  
I knew he didn’t mean to insult me in any way. His voice wasn’t cruel or mocking, but rather concerned. I nodded slowly. “I-I’m used to drinking real blood. My body is still getting used to the tablets.”  
“Where did you get the blood from at home?” His eyes had not left mine since he sat down next to me, and his hand was still holding mine.  
“I’m not sure. My father always had it brought to the house in bottles.” I told him honestly.  
Zero let go of my hand, using it to loosen the collar of his shirt. “You must be uncomfortable. You need to get some strength back.” He leaned his neck towards me. “Drink from me, Hana.”  
My face grew hot. Drink from me, Hana. My brain ached as I recalled where I had heard those words before. It only took a few moments for me to remember:  
My cousin Nami and I were playing in my playroom. We must had been less than seven years old. We were playing dolls while our parents sat in the parlor, laughing and making scenes up together with my large Victorian-style dollhouse. Nami was a Pureblood, like myself. Mother and Father were brother and sister, and they had another brother, who was my uncle. My uncle had married another Pureblood vampire who was not related to us, and she and Mother had become pregnant around the same time. Nami and I were only months apart in age.  
As we played, Nami asked me if I had ever tasted fresh blood before. Of course, I hadn’t. I remembered that she leaned in close and whispered, “I have. Father brought us home a real live human once.”  
I had wrinkled my nose and called her a liar. “No, really. I’ve drank fresh blood before. It was warm and delicious.” She embellished, still playing with the dolls, though my movement had ceased. “Do you want to taste fresh blood?” She finally asked me.  
I remember really frightened, and a bit angry, as she unbuttoned the top of her dress and exposed her neck to me. “Drink from me, Hana.” She had whispered, grinning at me deviously.  
I snapped back into reality. I had refused her then, and I planned on refusing Zero now. I was so hungered, so tempted to take him up on his offer. But I was frightened, and that stopped me from doing so. Drinking blood from someone seemed to be an intimate experience, at least for me. I had never drank from anyone before, and I was too afraid to drink from Zero, whom I had just met.  
I shook my head quickly. “I can’t.”  
“Why not?”  
I blushed deeper. “I’ve never drank from someone before.” I admitted.  
He looked at me with a puzzled expression, but moved his hand from his collar. “Are you sure? It will make you feel better.”  
I shook my head. “I can’t, Zero. I’m afraid.”  
Zero took my hand again, then. I looked at him, surprised. “I understand.” He told me. His words were just as warm as his hand, and I breathed a sigh of relief as he added, “You don’t have to be afraid of anything while I’m here.


	4. Sushi Rolls

The following day, Father called me. He seemed in good spirits, and told me that he was glad to be hearing my voice. “I miss you, Father.”  
I heard him sigh on the other end of the line. “I miss you too, Hana.”  
I missed Mother, and our home. I missed our town, our extended family. I didn’t tell Father any of that. I told him that I loved him, and I asked him if he could find a way to get real blood delivered here for me. I asked him how work was, and how Uncle was. I tried to keep the conversation upbeat. I asked him how our family cat was, and if he had begun planting the garden yet. I told him that I missed him again, and that I loved him.  
I was feeling homesick after our phone call. I was moping around my room, wishing that I was at home. I wished that I had a purpose, a reason to be here. I had no schooling and no work, no hobbies either. Each day I had been here, I had done nothing but read or play chess. I had unpacked my things. But still, I felt unfulfilled. I felt as if I wanted a reason to wake each night. I decided to ask Zero what he did each night, since he also was not in school or working.  
I walked across the hall to his bedroom and knocked on the door. Zero opened it moments later, and a small smile danced on his lips. “Hi, Hana.”  
I returned the smile, “Hi, Zero. Can I ask you something?”  
Zero nodded, stepping from the doorway and opening a path for me to enter. I did so, and he sat at a set of table of chairs. I sat across from him and ran my fingers through my hair. “I know you aren’t in school here anymore.” Zero nodded in response. “So can I ask, what do you do every night? I’ve only been here a few days and I am already going crazy from having nothing to do.”  
Zero was silent for a moment, and then finally told me, “Well, you’ve seen my tattoo.” He cleared his throat. “I’m a vampire hunter, Hana. But, for the last six months or so, I haven’t done any hunting. I haven’t really left the campus.”  
I stared at him, confused. Had he just been hanging around for the last six months, as I had been for the past week? I couldn’t imagine having sat around here for that long with nothing to do. “Then, what do you do on campus?”  
Zero smiled a little. “I think a lot. But, I read, mostly. Play cards. I help the Headmaster with anything that he needs.”  
“Do you ever feel like you need something to wake up for? A reason to get up every night?”  
Zero’s smile vanished. “I used to have a reason to get up.” I noticed that he bit his lip before continuing. “But lately, I guess the only thing I have to get up for is to make sure everything on campus is running smoothly, and everyone is safe.”  
“I think that’s a good reason to get up.” I told him, and I meant it. He was loyal to this school, and wanted what was best for its students and the Headmaster. “You want to protect your home.”  
Zero nodded. “Do you find it dull here?” He asked.  
I shook my head. “It’s not that, exactly. At home, I was homeschooled. Every night, I had lessons. I used to go places with Mother and Father.” I laughed a little. “I just want to have a purpose again. I want to feel like when I wake up, I have something do.”  
“I understand that.” Zero nodded slowly, his chin resting on his hand. “Well, let’s think of something that you can wake up for then, okay?”  
His words brought a smile to my face. I thought for a moment before blurting out, “I’m good at cooking.”  
Zero’s eyes began smiling along with his mouth. “That’s great, Hana. I’m sure the headmaster would be glad to have extra help with cooking. Since this school provides three meals a day to students, all the cooking prep is done at night, too.”  
“That would be absolutely perfect. I would love to help with cooking.” I smiled at him warmly. “Thank you for talking with me, Zero. I-I’m really glad that I met someone as kind as you.”  
“I’m glad that I met you, Hana.” He said with a genuine smile.  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
Zero walked me to the main school building the next night. He waited until I was inside before I saw him turn and head back to the Headmaster’s building. I followed the signs to the cafeteria, and entered the door to the kitchen. Inside the kitchen, the Headmaster was stirring a pot on the stove. When he saw me, he smiled and waved.  
“Hi, Hana. How are you feeling? Ready to do some cooking?”  
I smiled at his good cheer. Every time I had spoken with him, he had been in a joyous mood. “I’m good, Headmaster. Do you do all the cooking yourself every night?”  
“Sure do!” He told me, sprinkling a spice into the pot.  
“That’s amazing.” I gushed. “I’m glad to be here to help, then. Where should I start?”  
For the next three hours, I rolled sushi for the lunch bento while the Headmaster finished the soup, and planned out the dinner that he would have the cafeteria staff cook the next day. He told me that we would make the breakfast and lunches to be stored away each night, but that he had staff come in and cook dinner every day. At a quarter to midnight, he told me to head back to my suite; that he had a few things to finish up.  
“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay and help?” I pressed.  
The Headmaster nodded. “I’m sure, Hana. Thank you for your help tonight. I’ll see you tomorrow, yeah?”  
I nodded. “See you tomorrow, Headmaster! Goodnight.”  
I walked back through the cafeteria and through the hallways, until I reached the entrance to the building. Outside, Zero stood, leaning against a stone pillar. I exited the building, and he stood up straight. “All done?” He asked.  
I nodded. “You didn’t have to come walk me back. I know the way.” I told him, embarrassed that he had come out just to walk me back.  
“It’s not safe to be out alone. Trust me.”  
We walked side by side, reversing the path we had taken earlier in the evening. After a few moments of silent, I finally said, “Thank you.”  
Zero glanced at me with a confused expression. “For what?”  
“For looking out for me.” I felt my cheeks growing warm. “You are the kindest person I have ever met. So thank you.”  
I saw Zero’s cheeks grow pink, and a smile playing at his lips. “I’m glad you’re here.” He paused for a moment, and then his walking slowed. “I-I was feeling really lonely before you got here, and really down. Since you got here, I haven’t felt that so much.”  
I felt the same way about him. If Zero hadn’t been here, I didn’t know how I would be surviving. I would have felt so alone. “Maybe we were both meant to be here at the same time.” I suggested. “Maybe we are meant to make each other feel better.”


	5. Checkmate

The Headmaster was another kind soul at Cross Academy. Cooking with him in the evenings had made me closer to him. He always had something to talk about, and he loved to tell stories. One night, I was rolling the sushi as he made omelets, and I asked him what had happened to the night class of vampires. His smile remained, and he told me that the leader of the night class, the reason that it existed, had gone away.  
“Why did he leave?” I asked curiously, lying pieces of fish in the bed of rice in front of me.  
The Headmaster’s smile turned reminiscent, and his cheeks grew pink. “He was only here to protect his princess. And she was finally awakened. So they left together, to start their life over.”  
I looked at him with awe. “That’s so sweet.” I gushed. It sounded like a mysterious love story to me.   
The Headmaster’s smile faded as he flipped the eggs. “Her name was Yuki.” He told me. “She was my adopted daughter.”  
My heart sank. He must have felt so lonely without the child he raised here. He must have felt bittersweet- having lost his daughter, but knowing that she was with the one she loved. I felt sad for him. “Headmaster, I’m sure she loved you very much and was grateful to have you as a father!” I blurted out, dropping the bamboo mat onto the counter. I dashed across the room to where the Headmaster stood, and wrapped my arms around his torso.  
The Headmaster placed his hands around me, as well. “I was grateful to be her father.” The Headmaster patted my head as I pulled away, reminding me of Father doing the same to me when I was a small child. I smiled at the thought. “I’m glad you’re here, Hana. Spending time with you has been putting me in good spirits again.”  
I went back to rolling the sushi, and told him, “Thank you for being so kind as to take me in. I’m very grateful to you.”  
“I enjoy having young faces around me. After I took in Yuki, Zero came along.” The headmaster cracked more eggs into the pan. “I think we were both a bit depressed after Yuki left. But, Zero seems to be cheering up lately. I think it’s from spending time with you.”  
I felt a blush spread across my cheeks at his words. Was the Headmaster right? Did Zero enjoy spending time with me? Since I’d been here, I wasn’t sure whether he simply felt obligated to look out for me, or if he felt bad because he too had been sent here alone. The Headmaster’s words gave me hope that perhaps, Zero and I could continue to build a friendship, even after I had settled in here.  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
“Checkmate!” I grinned at Zero, whose King was trapped by my bishop and my knight. His final piece was about to fall.  
Zero studied the chess board for a few moments, fingering the king in his hand before finally flicking it onto its side in defeat. “I surrender! You got me.” He said, smiling back at me.  
“You didn’t let me win, did you?” I pried.  
“Nope, that was all you.” He told me, but I still wasn’t completely sure. We had been playing chess for a few hours, I think. We played game after game, and I won each time. I was never much good at chess, so I was sure that he was in fact, letting me win.  
My eyes scanned the room, and I realized that the sun was beginning to shine through the curtains of Zero’s room. “What time is it? The sun is coming up!”  
Zero laughed. “It’s past dawn, then. Too early for vampires to be awake.” He glanced at the clock on the wall. “It’s almost seven.”  
“We should get to sleep.” I put my pieces back on the chessboard in their proper formation, and Zero did the same with his pieces. I then stood, and thanked him for playing with me. “I had a lot of fun. Thank you for playing with me. And sorry for keeping you up this long.”  
Zero shook his head. “I had fun, too. Don’t apologize for showing me a good time.”  
A smile crept onto my face as I turned and left his room. I changed into my nightdress and got into bed, suddenly realizing how exhausted I actually was. I hadn’t realized it while playing with Zero, but I could barely keep my eyes open for a second as I lay in my bed. Within minutes, I had drifted off to sleep.  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
I awoke feeling incredibly warm. Was I sweating? Was I still dreaming? No. I opened my eyes, my head spinning. My fangs were aching worse than they had been since replacing blood with blood tablets. I breathed heavily, trying to will myself to get up. When I tried to, my dizziness caused me to crash back down onto the pillows. My throat felt dry and my veins felt like they were on fire. My eyes closed again.  
When I awoke for the second time, it was to a knocking on my door. I said “come in”, but no one entered. “Come in!” I called, louder this time. My head ached, and my blood boiled.  
Zero entered the room and furrowed his brow. “What’s wrong?” He asked me, approaching my bedside. When he got closer, worry clouded his eyes. He placed his hand on my forehead. “You’re burning up!”  
I shook my head. “I’m fine.” I told him. “It’s just from the blood tablets. They still aren’t working.” I tried to sit up a little, to prove that I was okay. “My father said he is going to try and get blood delivered here for me. I’ll be alright.” I smiled at him convincingly, even though I felt more ill than I ever had before.  
Zero sat on bed, shaking his head. “You’re not alright.” He sighed and grabbed my hand. My hand must have been clammy, because his felt like a hot stove against mine. “Please, won’t you just drink from me? You’re going to keep getting sicker until you have real blood.” Zero sighed deeply, closing his eyes. “The blood tablets don’t help me, either. I’ve always needed real blood, too. It’s okay.”  
“T-then what do you do for blood?” I asked him carefully.  
His eyes still remained closed. “I used to drink from someone. But, she’s gone now. So I haven’t had human blood since then.” He opened his eyes, and locked them with mine. “I don’t need to feed very often. So I’ve been okay for a while.”  
I tried to stop myself from asking, but the words poured out of my mouth before I could stop them. “Was it Yuki?” I whispered.  
Zero’s expression remained unchanged, but he looked away from me. “Yes, it was Yuki.” He said, barely audible.  
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-“ I was such an idiot. Why couldn’t I keep my mouth shut?  
Zero shook his head. “No, it’s okay.” His hand squeezed mine gently. “Why are you afraid to drink my blood?”  
I blushed deeply, lowering my head. “Because I’ve never drank someone’s blood before…I’ve never even seen anyone drink blood from someone else before. Isn’t it kind of…A, you know…personal experience?”   
“Yeah, it’s a little intimate, especially if you’ve never done it before.” I noticed that Zero had begun to rub my hand lightly with his thumb as he held onto my hand. “When you drink from someone, it’s as if their feelings and their being flows into you. You experience them in a way that they may not even be able to experience themselves.”  
“So then it’s intimate for the person who is having their blood drunk, also.” I whispered. I was still apprehensive, but Zero didn’t seem to mind sharing his blood with me. I still had my reservations, but I heard my voice whisper, “Are you sure it’s okay?”


	6. Bloodlust

Zero nodded. The movement of his thumb on my hand ceased and he moved his body closer to me. He used his free hand to loosen his collar. I stared at him with wide eyes, unsure of what exactly to do. My fangs were pulsing as I rested my eyes on his pale neck. As my hunger became more apparent, I was able to smell the mixed scent of his blood clearly. Zero let go of my hand and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close. My face was inches from the crook of his neck, and I felt my breathing tighten.  
My instincts took over, and I beared my fangs. “Go ahead, Hana.” I could barely hear Zero’s voice over the sound of his blood flowing through him, which was suddenly filling my ears. The sound of it caused immense pressure, and my chest tightened as I leaned in and sank my teeth into his neck.  
Immediately, the pressure flowed out of me as his blood flowed into me. I understood then what he meant about feeling a person through tasting their blood. I was barely able to hear the sigh that Zero expelled as I drank from him. I felt his blood warm my entire body; I felt waves of sadness and sorrow, waves of loneliness and an ache for companionship, and I felt an overwhelming sense of caring and love. The mix of feelings flowed into me at such a quick pace that I was taken aback. I felt my hunger deplete, and I could feel Zero’s entire being inside of me.  
When I stopped drinking from him, Zero moved his hand up to his neck, healing the bite marks from my teeth. He kept his arms around me and I felt my own arms move so that I was holding him, as well. I rested my head on his shoulder, feeling a surge of energy from the blood, but also feeling exhausted from the rush of emotions that his blood had made me feel. I felt a lump in my throat, and I tried to suppress the urge to cry.  
“That wasn’t so bad, was it?” Zero asked me. He still didn’t let go of me. “Do you feel better?”  
I nodded, my head still buried in the crook of his neck. “Thank you.” I whispered. “Your…Your blood…”  
“I have the blood of three Purebloods inside of me, as well as my twin brother.” He told me.  
It took me a moment, but I realized what he meant. “The cursed twins of hunters…” I felt the tears that had been welling up in my eyes spill over. “I’m so sorry, Zero.”  
His arms held me tighter, and I felt his hand move to my hair, grasping my head lightly. “Please don’t cry.”  
“I-I’m sorry.” I trembled as I tried to stop my tears, embarrassed.  
“Don’t apologize.” I could feel Zero shaking slightly as he continued, “I just don’t want to see you upset.”  
“Z-Zero…” I lifted my head to look at him. His eyes showed pain, and his lips were pressed together in a firm line. “You’re hurting.” I could tell by the feelings that poured into me as I drank his blood; he tasted almost solely of melancholy and distress.  
Zero shook his head and moved his hand to my face, wiping away my tears. “I’m sorry if I upset you. I promise that I’m okay, though.” He sighed softly. “The last thing I wanted was for you to be affected by my feelings like that. I just didn’t want you to be in physical pain anymore, Hana.”  
I felt as if we were connected then. From an act so simple, I felt like I knew him better. I could sense a bond between us. Maybe it was because it was my first time drinking blood from someone. Maybe I was overthinking it. Maybe Zero didn’t feel the same connection with me. But I knew what I felt about him, and I didn’t have the courage to tell him so. Instead, we sat in silence, and I relished in his gentle touch for a while longer.  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
Zero didn’t come to walk me across campus the next night. I had walked myself to the main school building, and he was still nowhere to be found when I left at midnight. I was worried that I had been too emotional and made him angry, or worse, freaked him out. I walked back to the Headmaster’s building alone, worrying the whole way. I crept up the stairs quietly, and my ears twitched as I approached the landing.  
I heard a soft whimpering. I stood still for a moment, trying to listen in on where the sound was coming from. My keen senses were coming back after drinking Zero’s blood, and I could detect where the noise was emerging from: Zero’s bedroom. I stepped carefully across the floor, stopping outside of his door. As I did, I heard the whimpering stop. He knew I was there.  
I didn’t knock, and I didn’t open the door. I placed my hand on the smooth wood, and pressed my forehead against it. I tried to feel what he was feeling from the other side of the door. If he was feeling the sadness that was running through his veins, then he must have been in agony. I removed my hand and head from the door and whispered softly, “Zero, I’m here if you need me.”


	7. Surfacing Your Fears

I heard footsteps approaching the door slowly, and then Zero’s voice: “Hana.” He sounded shaky, both his words and his breathing.   
“I-I’m sorry if I’m being intrusive. I’ll leave you alone, if you want. I just wanted you to know that I’m here if you need anything.” I began to walk away, but paused after a couple of steps.  
I could hear the exact moment that his breath caught, and I knew that he was in fact crying. His breath hitched, and he made a small gasping sound. After that, his breathing was slightly labored and heavy. I heard a soft thud on the wooden door. “D-don’t go.”  
I could barely hear his words. They couldn’t be described as a whisper, but as something much less. Without my senses coming back, I wouldn’t have heard them. I backtracked, ending up in front of his door again. “I won’t.” I assured him.   
I heard Zero whimpering softly again, this time right near the door. He was inches away from me, with the thick slab of wood separating us. His voice came from beneath me, and I realized that the thud had been him leaning his back against the door and sitting down. “I-I care about you, Hana.”  
I knelt down in front of the door, still facing it. “I care about you too, Zero. Do you want to talk about what’s upsetting you?” I tried to keep my voice low and soothing.   
“I can’t put it into words.” He whispered. “I-I’ve only ever had two people drink my blood before.” He paused for a long while before continuing. “They were the woman that turned me, and Yuki.”  
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset y-“  
“No.” He interrupted me firmly. I heard shuffling on the other side of the door. In a swift motion, the door was opened, and Zero stood over me. His eyes were pink and bloodshot. When he saw me kneeling down, he knelt down in front of me. “You didn’t upset me. My own thoughts and fears did. It had nothing to do with you, so don’t feel that way.” I nodded in response, biting my lip softly. Zero reached out and took both of my hands into his. “You know how I told you that blood sharing was an intimate experience?” I nodded again. “Well, I guess you can say that I have fears about being close to people. So please don’t feel badly.”  
I gaped at him, and stuttered something unintelligible as I squeezed his hands. I couldn’t find any words, so I finally threw my arms around his neck instead. I felt his arms wrap around my body, as well. We stayed like that for what felt like forever. I could feel his heart beating against mine, and his breathing tickling my ear. “Do you feel any better?” I finally asked him.  
“Yeah.” Zero whispered, pulling out of the hug. “Thank you.” He stood, and held out his hand to help me up. I took it, but I didn’t stand. Looking up at him, I realized that this was the exact thing that had happened on the first day that I had met him. Me on the ground outside of a doorway, and him offering me his hand. “What’s wrong?” He asked.  
I laughed a little. “The day I got here.” I said, laughing more heartily. “Looking up at you just now, I had a little Deja vu. I dropped my skirt and I bent down to get it and-“ I paused, feeling a flush coat my cheeks. “You…You helped me up…I was so embarrassed…” My voice trailed off, and I finally stood up.  
Zero’s hand moved from my own and up to my face. He gingerly moved my hair out of my face and said, “You looked scared that day.”  
I nodded. “I was.”  
“Are you still scared?” His hand was still framing my face.  
“No. I’m not afraid anymore.” I told him honestly.  
A small smile appeared on Zero’s lips. “Then, I’m going to try to stop being afraid, too.”  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
“Got any three’s?”  
Zero shook his head. “Go fish.”  
I pouted, picking up a card from the pile of cards lying on the bed between us. It was the Queen of Hearts. “Got any kings?”  
I pouted again, taking the King of Diamonds out of my hand and giving it to Zero. He grinned at me, pointing down at his pile of matches. He had two full sets already, the two’s and the eight’s. I had a set of jacks, and was one card away from making a full set of three’s.   
We played on, game after game. He won some and I won some. Eventually, I leaned back against his pillows. “Got any ten’s?” I asked, yawning.  
“Damn.” Zero handed me his Ten of Spades. I grinned, placing my full set of tens in front of me.   
We took turns asking and fishing, and I realized how tired I was becoming. My eyes kept drooping shut. His bed was comfortable, and the pillows felt like clouds. Each time Zero asked if I had a card, it was taking longer for me to process what he was asking. Soon, I found myself unable to answer him in more than a murmur.  
I couldn’t be sure whether I was dreaming, at first. I felt a familiar state of paralysis, like when you fall asleep in the car as a child, and your father wraps you up in his arms and carries you to bed. You are aware that it’s happening, but you aren’t awake enough to open your eyes, or say anything. You can only take comfort in feeling safe in his arms, and drift back to sleep.  
I felt a warmth brush against my forehead, and then I felt something soft press against it. “Sleep well, Hana.” Was it Father kissing me goodnight in my dreams? I tried to open my lips, and say goodnight, but instead I fell back into a deep sleep.


	8. Three Cheers For A Pureblood's Tears

I rolled over, feeling a heaviness on my chest that wasn’t there before. I whimpered lightly as I became more aware, opening my eyes. I came face to face with Zero, his eyes still closed. I gasped inwardly, realizing that his limp hand, now lying next to me, was the heaviness I had felt on my chest.  
I slept in Zero’s bed last night. I slept in Zero’s bed, with Zero, last night. I slept in Zero’s bed, with his arm around me, last night. I felt my face flush, and I quickly rolled back over and shut my eyes again. Was I dreaming of Father kissing my forehead last night? Or had that been Zero tucking me into his bed? I felt my face growing even hotter. I heard Zero begin to stir, and I tried to slow my breathing, pretending to still be asleep.   
“Hana?”  
Crap. I faked a yawn and rolled over to face him. His sleepy, lavender eyes stared at me, and I knew I was blushing again. “H-Hi.” I managed.  
A grin spread across Zero’s face. “Hi?”  
I knew my face must be bright red already, yet I was sure it was getting even redder. “I, uh, fell asleep in here last night. I-I’m sorry.”  
Zero began to laugh out loud. His face grew pink from laughter, and he could barely catch his breath. He laughed heartily, and it made me laugh, too. This was the first time I had seen him this happy- was it the first time he had ever laughed in front of me? I didn’t know whether he was laughing at me or the awkward situation, but I was glad that he had found something to laugh about, either way.  
Finally, his laughing slowed, and he caught his breath. “I was going to carry you to your room, but I figured you would wake up if I lifted you. So I just let you sleep instead. I hope you’re not freaked out.”  
I shook my head. “No, I’m not freaked out.” I told him.  
“You woke up before me, didn’t you?” He was smiling a little.  
I nodded, blushing. I wanted to tell him that his arm around was around me. I wanted to tell him about my dream last night. But most of all, I wanted to ask him if he had kissed my forehead. I didn’t have the courage to say a word, though.  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
When I opened my bedroom door the following night, there was a package on the floor. It was wrapped in brown paper and addressed to me. I picked it up; it was heavy. I carried into my room and placed it on the small table set, ripping off the brown paper wrapping and tossing it out. Inside was a box, with a folded note on top. The wax seal was the same one my father sealed all of his letters with. Smiling, I opened the letter and began to read:  
“Dearest Hanako,  
I have sent you a supply of blood, as you have requested. I hope you are feeling better and adjusting well to your new home. I have been working diligently and long hours, so it is better that you are living somewhere with other people to be around. I miss you so, but I hope you understand that I only sent you here so you would be safe. You are all I have left, my daughter.  
I have been speaking with some of my affiliates in search of a beau for you. By the time you return, you will be of age. It is of the utmost importance that you have a man suitable to be your husband upon your return home. I have been speaking with the parents of a few fine Purebloods, and they all seem to be suitable matches. They are all well-educated and handsome young men. When you come back, I’m sure I will have found you the perfect mate. Remember, preserving the bloodline is our responsibility, Hanako.  
I will send you another shipment of blood each month, on the third of the month. I hope you are being well and that you are happy. I will call you as soon as I can. I love you so much, Hanako. If you need anything, Headmaster Cross has assured me that he will tend to it. Do not hesitate to bring any problems you may have to him.   
My love,  
Father”  
I swallowed hard, folding the letter back up and placing it in my nightstand. A husband? A husband whom I have no say in? I felt my jaw tense at the very thought. I couldn’t care less about preserving the bloodline. Why would I want to spend the rest of my life with someone if I don’t even love them? Sighing, I opened the box. Inside, there were upwards of twenty small bottles of blood. My mouth grew wet looking at them, my body pulsing rhythmically.  
I took two bottles out and walked across the hall to Zero’s bedroom. Before I even had a chance to knock on the door, Zero’s voice came from the other side: “Come in, Hana.”  
I entered the room to find Zero sitting at his table with a book folded on his lap. I held the bottles of blood up to show him, walking across the room and handing him one. “My father says he will be sending a shipment each month.” I told him.  
Zero smiled, holding his bottle up to mine. We clanked the glass together, and Zero said, “Cheers to that.”  
I sat in the chair across from him and we both sipped the blood slowly, savoring it. “He also said he’s trying to find me a husband.” I added casually, watching Zero’s reaction intently.  
He cleared his throat, his expression showing a hint of surprise. “And how do you feel about that?”  
I sighed. “I’m a little bit angry. He wants to marry me off to some Pureblood to ‘preserve the bloodline’, but I don’t care about that. I don’t want to marry someone just because I’m supposed to.”  
Zero nodded slowly, placing his empty bottle on the table. “Then why do you want to marry someone?”  
I lined my empty bottle up next to his. “I want to marry someone because I love them.”  
Zero stared at me intently. “But Purebloods aren’t supposed to mate outside of their own kind.”  
I nodded. “I know.” I huffed a bit, sighing deeply out of frustration. “I don’t care. I love my father very much, but I don’t want to marry someone just because he wants me to.”  
Zero cocked his head to the side. “But are you going to, anyway?”  
I frowned at him. “No, I don’t think I will.”


	9. Vampire Kisses

“Ready to go?” Zero asked me, slipping his shoes on in the foyer. It had been over a week since the package from my father had arrived, and I was now back to full strength.  
I nodded, opening the front door and stepping onto the staircase. I stepped down them and took a few steps forward, stopping dead in my tracks as I heard something approaching me. I didn’t have time to react as I heard the growl in front of me. I stood frozen, looking into the menacing eyes of the blood-thirsty Level E that stood in front of me. His fangs were beared, his stance offensive, and his eyes filled with bloodlust. In that moment, I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t move a muscle. I tried to will myself to use my powers as the creature lunged towards me, but my body wouldn’t move. I felt claws graze my face, and my cheek began to sting and burn.  
I felt Zero grab me and pull me close to him, his arm reaching around my torso and moving me away from the creature. I heard a gun fire, and the creature was expelled into thin air inches in front of my face. Zero’s arm was shaking. Or was I shaking? I couldn’t be sure, as my legs gave out and I dropped to my knees on the stone path.  
Zero knelt down in front of me, his hands on my shoulders. He shook me and asked harshly, “Why did you just stand there? What if I hadn’t been there, Hana? Why didn’t you use your powers?” His eyes were burning into me, filled with fear, frustration, and anger.  
I felt tears begin to run down my face, and I found myself struggling to breathe again. I gasped softly, tears spilling down my cheeks as I tried to pull away from Zero’s grip. His eyes grew soft then, and he looked like he might cry, himself. He pulled me into a hug so tight that it almost hurt. “I’m sorry.” He whispered. “Please don’t cry. I’m sorry.” I was aware as his breath hitched, that he was choking back his own tears.  
“I couldn’t move. I was too afraid.” I sobbed into his chest, feeling his hand rubbing my back gently. “I-I’ve never had to use my powers before. I’ve never had something attack me like that.”  
“I’m sorry for getting angry.” Zero leaned back, sitting on the ground completely. He pulled me closer, so that I was sitting in between his legs, which were crossed in an Indian style. He ran his hand over my hair, petting me like a house cat. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have acted like that.” he apologized again. “I can’t stand the thought of you getting hurt.”  
His words made me cry harder; not because of being afraid or upset, but because someone cared for me enough to be angry that I was in danger. I wrapped my arms tightly around his torso and raised my head. His eyes were watery, his hand resting on the back of my head. “Forgive me, Hana.” He whispered.  
“I’m not angry.” I finally whispered. “Thank you for caring for me enough to protect me.”  
His eyes didn’t leave mine, and I didn’t break contact with his, either. I stared into the eyes that matched my own, and I felt something in my chest that I’d never felt before. It felt like a tingle, but also a tightness. A burning, but as if someone was holding an ice cube in between my ribs. With every breath, I felt a fluttering spread from the middle of my chest out to the ends of my ribcage. My heart began to pound, loudly enough that I was sure Zero could hear it.  
His heart rate was increasing as well. I could hear it, thanks to my vampire sense being back in full force. His heartbeat was loud in my ears, and I was sure that mine sounded the same in his own. Tenderly, he leaned down and kissed my forehead lightly. “I’m glad you’re safe.” He whispered.  
His lips against my forehead gave me the same sensation that I felt in my dream when I fell asleep in Zero’s bed. I exhaled deeply, sitting up so that my eyes were level with Zero’s. “Can I ask you something weird?” Zero nodded, his expression serious. “That night I fell asleep in your room…Did you…Kiss my forehead like that?”  
Zero’s cheeks turned pink, and he nodded. “I thought you were asleep. I didn’t mean to-“  
My head began to spin, and I felt my body acting before my thoughts had a chance to catch up. I felt a warmth spread across my own face as I moved towards Zero, closing my eyes. Once second, I was watching a blush spread across Zero’s cheeks; ready to hear his explanation, and the next second, I was pressing my lips against his.  
His lips felt soft and warm against mine, and in the few seconds that our lips were together, the tingling in my chest spread throughout my entire body. His lips melded against mine, fitting together like a puzzle piece. When I pulled away and opened my eyes, his own were staring into mine, wider than I had seen them yet. His cheeks were pink, and his mouth was slightly opened, almost in a small gape.  
I felt my face growing warm, and I looked away from him. I didn’t know why I had kissed him; my body had been telling me to. I felt my lips being drawn to his like a magnet, and my brain couldn’t stop my lips from acting on their own. I began to apologize, “I’m sorry-“  
Zero’s hand found my chin, and used it to lift my head to face him once more. He stared at me for the longest time, and I tried to read the look in his eyes. It was incomprehensible. Finally, he leaned in and closed his eyes, and I closed mine as well. He initiated a kiss this time, which was quicker than our last. I breathed a sigh of relief as he pulled away and whispered huskily, “Don’t apologize for doing something that I’ve wanted to do since the second I met you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's been a slow start. Thank you if you've stuck around this long. Tags are now updating +_+


	10. My Blood On His Lips

“Hana, what do you make of me?”  
“Hmm?” I looked up from my book in confusion. Zero and I had been in his room all evening, reading books on his bed.  
“What do you make of me? What do you think of me?” Zero explained himself.  
I marked my page and placed my book on my lap. It had been almost a week since Zero and I kissed, and we had not done so again since. I think we were both unsure of where we stood with each other. That said, Zero’s question was a valid one. Finally, I told him, “I think that you are the kindest person I have ever met. At first, I was a bit fearful of you…” I paused. “But now, I feel safest when I’m with you. I care about you a lot.”  
Zero nodded. “I was truly afraid to care for you, Hana.” Zero admitted. “Anytime I care for people…” His voice trailed off.  
I moved closer to him on the bed, and reached for his hand. He allowed me to take it, and I threaded my fingers through his. “They left you.” I finished his sentence.  
Zero nodded. “Yeah.”  
I bit my lip, deciding that it was time to tell him why I came here in the first place. “Zero, I’ve lost everyone, too.” I felt my body begin to tremble as I continued, “I came here because my aunt, Mother, and cousin got murdered.” I tried to fight back the tears forming in my eyes, but they began to leak out the corners of my eyes, anyway. “Father sent me away because someone is trying to murder the women of the Tanaka bloodline.”  
Zero’s eyes grew wet then, and he pulled me into his arms. “I’m so sorry, Hana. I didn’t know.”  
I didn’t allow any more of my tears to fall. I didn’t let myself cry in front of Zero again. Instead, I focused on how his arms felt around me. I listened to his heart beating against mine, and felt his breathing on my neck. It was giving me chills, and Zero noticed. “Sorry.” He tried to pull his face away, but I stopped him with my hand.  
“Z-Zero…” I couldn’t say the words, but I wanted him to drink from me. His face so close to my neck was making me wonder what it would be like to have his fangs sink in and my blood to flow into him. I had drank from him, so wouldn’t it be fair for him to do the same?  
Zero pulled away from me then. “Do you want me to drink from you?” he asked me bluntly. I nodded. “Why?” he questioned me further.  
“I want to share my blood with you, and give you the same experience I had when I drank your blood. I want you to know that I’m not going anywhere.” I smiled at him, my hand lightly gripping the sleeve of his shirt. “I want to show you transparency, Zero.”  
Zero’s breathing quickened, and I know that he was analyzing the situation in his head. Finally, he leaned down and hovered above my neck, so close that his lips were almost touching me. “Are you sure?”  
“Yes.”  
There was a sharp, pinching pain at first as his fangs punctured my flesh. After that, there was a burning sensation. It went away quickly as he began to drink from me; an experience that made me gasp audibly. I felt him taking from me, and I was happy to share myself with him. I felt a pressure releasing from my neck as he drank, and I breathed a sigh of relief. All pain was diminished, and I felt my heart pulsating as Zero tasted every one of my feelings.  
When he was finished, he rested his face in the crook of my neck. “Did I taste good, Zero?” I whispered. He raised his head to look at me, licking the remanence of my blood from his lower lip in a way that made a shiver run through me.   
“Taste for yourself.”  
He leaned down in a quick motion, opening my lips with his own. His tongue slipped into my mouth, tasting thickly of iron. I gasped into his mouth as his tongue swirled around mine before carefully pulling away from the deep kiss. I breathed heavily, feeling an unfamiliar tingling in between my legs. Was this what arousal felt like? Zero’s face was pink, and I was sure that mine was, too. I gaped at him for what seemed like forever, afraid to make the softest sound.  
“You can tell me if I went too far.” Zero finally said.  
I shook my head slowly. “You didn’t. I’ve never…” I didn’t know what to say. I could do nothing but stare at him, and hope he didn’t think I was an inexperienced fool.  
Zero nodded, understanding what I meant. “You are the first person I’ve ever kissed, Hana.” He told me, as if to reassure me. His hand ran along my cheek, causing a blush to follow in its wake. As I looked into his eyes, I knew that I was supposed to be there. I was supposed to be at Cross Academy, and I was supposed to meet Zero. We were meant to cross each other’s paths.   
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
The next week, another package arrived from Father. Enclosed were more bottles of blood, and another note:  
“My dearest daughter, Hanako,  
I am pleased to be writing you with some good news. My affiliates have been tracking the man who was after the women of our family, and they may have a lead. I am hoping to have some answers very soon, so we can get a form of closure. I long for the day when I know you are safe once more.  
In other news, I have spoken with some of the young men whom would like to court you. One man in particular, he would be a perfect match for you. I’ve met with him twice now, and he seems to be an exceptional young man from a strong bloodline. He would make a fine husband. I want you to meet him soon. When this package arrives, please call me on my work line. I look forward to hearing from you.  
I hope you have settled in nicely and feeling more at home. I have been missing you dearly, and I cannot wait to see you once it is safe for us to meet again. I love you so much, Hanako. Be well.  
All my love,  
Father”


	11. Beautiful Things

I approached Zero’s room, the letter from Father half crumpled in my hand. As I raised my knuckles to knock, I heard a soft “come in” from the other side of the door. I entered, to find Zero bare from the waist up. His muscular chest and toned stomach made me lose my breath. I didn’t realize the blush spreading across my face until my eyes dropped down to the waistline of his pants, where his muscles gathered into a “v” shape, leading down to…Yes, I was blushing. I could feel my face growing hot as Zero pulled his shirt over his head.  
“Hey,” Zero greeted me. “Are you okay? You look flushed.”  
“I didn’t know you were getting dressed.” I said quietly. I handed him the note from Father, which he unfolded and scanned over briefly.   
“Hmm.” He finally grunted, handing the note back to me.   
“Hmm?” I repeated.  
“Yeah.” He thought for a moment before continuing, “It’s great that you’ll be safe again soon.”  
“I’m not calling him, and I’m not going.” I told him defiantly.  
Zero raised his eyebrows at me. “Oh yeah?”  
“Yeah!”   
Zero gingerly place his hands at my waist and pulled me close to him. His lips touched mine briefly; a small taste of him that left me wanting more. “You don’t even want to meet the guy? Maybe he’s a nice guy, if your father picked him out.”  
I shook my head. “No.” I whispered, my heart racing. “There’s only one nice guy I want to be around, and I’m already around him every day.”  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
“So, Hana. Your father has called me two nights in a row now asking to speak to you. I thought you were going to call him?” The Headmaster was looking at me with his eyebrows raised, and I felt like a child being scolded.  
I nodded slowly. “Sorry he’s been bothering you.” I apologized, “I’ll call him tonight. I promise.”  
The Headmaster stopped stirring the soup pot and approached me, leaning across the counter and making eye contact with me. “Hana, is there a reason that you don’t want to call him?”  
As I looked into his eyes, I saw a concerned dad, not a man who was letting me stay here because my father was compensating him for it. I sighed quietly. “I love my father very much. I want to please him, and honor him.” I felt my lip beginning to tremble as I continued, “But he is expecting something of me that I can’t give him.” I broke. Tears began spilling onto my cheeks and I hid my face in my hands. “He wants me to marry someone he’s chosen for me. But I just can’t do it.” I was sobbing profusely now. “I won’t do it.”  
I felt arms spinning me around and then wrapping around my shoulders. “Shh, it’s okay.” The Headmaster held me tightly, his hand making small circles on my back. “Hana, your father doesn’t have to live with your husband for the rest of your life. You do. If you don’t want to marry the one he has chosen for you, you shouldn’t do it.” He pulled away from me and held me by the shoulders. He looked me in the eyes and told me, “If you want to tell him no, I will stand up for you, Hana. You don’t have to worry about that.”  
I nodded through my tears, so grateful to have been taken in by a man as kind as the Headmaster. I wiped my eyes with my sleeves, blubbering, and said “Thank you.” Over and over again.  
“Hana, it will be okay.” The Headmaster took a napkin from the counter and dabbed my eyes with it. “No more tears, okay?”  
I nodded, sucking up the last of my tears and sniffling lightly. “I-I wish my father was more like you.” I finally blurted out, instantly regretting my words. My father loved me very much, and I knew he cared for me. He wanted what was best for me. How could I say that I wished for anything more?  
The Headmaster shook his head, giving me a smile that was lined with sadness. “No Hana, you don’t.”  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
When I walked out of the cafeteria that night, Zero was waiting inside the school building for me. I gave him a questioning look, and he put his finger to his lips, shushing me before I had the chance to speak. He came close to me and whispered in my ear, “Keep quiet or the Headmaster will hear us.”  
I felt his hand slip into mine and I followed him down the hallway and up the staircase. Once I was sure we were out of the Headmaster’s earshot I asked, “Where are we going?”  
“Shh. You’ll see.”  
He lead me up staircase after staircase, and then down a long hallway. At the end, he opened a sturdy metal door and ushered me past it. There was yet another staircase, this one metal. We took the stairs, which led up to another heavy metal door. He opened that one, and we stepped outside, onto the roof.  
I craned my neck up to look at the sky. The moon was full, surrounded by millions of tiny white dots. I looked up at the sky, realizing just how small we were on this earth. The moon looked small from where I stood, but massive compared to the miniscule stars. I took my eyes away from the sky to look at Zero. The moon shone down onto his silver locks, and in his lilac eyes, I saw a small portion of the dots that scattered across the sky.  
“It’s so beautiful up here.” I told him.  
“That’s why I brought you here, Hana.” Zero took a step towards me, and my heart stopped as he pressed his lips against mine. “A beautiful girl should get to see beautiful things.”


	12. Iron and Mint

Mother backed up against the wall, the menacing figure slowly walking towards her. She crouched down, her hands covering her face. He was licking his lips with anticipation of her blood. Not to drink, however, but to splatter the walls. Where was Father? Why wasn’t he protecting her? Mother raised her head and screamed for help, tears spilling down her face. But still, no one came.  
I tried to close my eyes, or look away, but my eyes were glued to the scene unfolding in front of me. I tried to scream for help, to reach forward and grab the man away from her. I tried to use my powers. But, I could do nothing as he grabbed her by the throat, pinning her against the wall. I couldn’t stop him as he cocked his anti-vampire pistol and shot her directly in the chest. Not once, not twice, but three times. I couldn’t scream, or even cry as she collapsed to the floor, her crimson blood now painting the white wall.  
I woke up to the sound of my own screams, sitting up so quickly that the room began to spin and my vision grew black. My heart was pounding out of my chest, and beads of sweat were dripping from my forehead. I quickly grabbed a pillow and hugged it to my chest tightly. I gasped as I tried to catch my breath, and my entire body was shaking. That wasn’t even how it happened. I wasn’t even there. I didn’t see it. So, why did I have a dream like that?  
My bedroom door swung open without warning then, and Zero stood in the doorway in his pajamas. He turned the light on and scanned the room. It was only then that I noticed his gun in his hand. “Z-Zero, I’m okay. I was having a nightmare.” Zero slowly lowered his weapon and placed it on my dresser. “I’m sorry I woke you.”  
Zero sat next to me on the bed and pushed my hair out of my face. I shrunk away from him, knowing that I was sweating. “Hey, it’s okay. Come here.” He took the pillow from my arms and replaced its presence with his body. His arms wrapped around me and his lips kissed the top of my head. I was embarrassed, but I relaxed my face into his chest, breathing in the scent of him. “Do you want me to stay with you?” he asked gently. I nodded in response.  
Zero got up and turned the lights back off, closing the door on his way. He climbed under the covers and we both laid down on our backs. Zero angled himself upwards and placed his arm around me, pulling me close to him. I rested my head on his chest, listening to the rhythmic sound of his heart beating. I let my hand snake down and slip under his t-shirt. I let it rest on his chest, near the bottom of his ribs. His skin was warm and soft; my hand rose and fell with each breath he took. Eventually, I felt my eyes beginning to close.  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
“Hana, have you been avoiding my calls?”  
Of course. Those would be the first words out of Father’s mouth when I finally called him. “No, Father. Of course not.” I lied.  
“I have some good news, sweetheart.” His voice sounded the same as it always did- even if he had good news, his voice remained unchanged. He never let his words rise or fall much.   
“What, Father?”  
I heard him chuckle on the other end of the phone. “We got him. And I have taken care of him. You’re safe now, Hana.”  
“That’s wonderful, Father.” I was glad that my mother, aunts, and cousin’s deaths had been avenged. Of course I was. But, I knew that this meant he would be expecting me to return home. “Father?”  
“Hmm?” He seemed distracted. Maybe if I worded this properly, he would just agree and not question me about it.   
“I want you to come and see the Academy here. I’ve really been enjoying my time here, and I think you should come see me, and…meet someone who helped me adjust to being here.” I held my breath as I waited for his answer. He was usually a reasonable man, but if he expected something of me, it was an unwritten rule that I would do whatever was expected of me.  
“Well Hana, I will meet whomever you’d like me to when I come to retrieve you next week. I would love to meet anyone who helped your stay be more pleasant.”  
I felt my lip beginning to tremble. I wanted to tell him that I wasn’t going to marry the man he had picked out for me. I wanted to tell him that I intended to stay here at the Academy. But, I couldn’t find the words. Instead, I rushed out a “goodbye” and “I love you” and I hung up the phone. I rushed from the Headmaster’s office, tears spilling out of my eyes. He had said that he would stand up for me if it came down to it. I hoped that he was being truthful in saying that.   
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
Zero’s lips moved over mine, his hands planted on my waist. I was lying on the blanket he had laid out on the roof, and he was on top of me. His lips moved down to my neck, leaving small kisses in their wake. His body was hovering over mine, but I could feel the warmth of his skin radiating between us. A cool breeze blew over the rooftop as I stared up at the sky.  
“Zero?”  
He stopped kissing me and stared into my eyes, his hand still resting on my waist, just under my shirt. “Are you okay?”  
I nodded, breathing in deeply. “Do you want to…” my voice trailed off, and I pointed my finger down towards our respective sex areas.  
Zero’s cheeks grew pink and he shook his head. “That’s not why I brought you up here, Hana. I don’t want to push you into doing anything.” Zero rolled off of me and laid down next to me, moving his hand outside of my shirt. “Were you uncomfortable with what I was doing?”  
I shook my head, fully aware that I was blushing. My voice was barely audible as I answered him, “I would still be comfortable, even if you did more.”  
His lilac eyes widened, and his blush grew more apparent. Slowly, he leaned forward, his lips finding mine. He tasted a bit of blood, and it was then that I realized he must have bit his lip. His hands found their way back under my shirt, still staying in the area of my stomach. His touch sent tingles all over my body, and I longed for his touch to travel across my entire being. He kept one hand on my stomach, and slipped the other out from under my shirt. I gasped quietly into his kiss as it landed on my inner thigh, inches away from the hem of my skirt.  
He stopped kissing me and looked at me for a moment. When I nodded at him, he brought his lips back to mine. His hand was squeezing my thigh gently, and his thumb was rubbing it lightly. His kisses were a bit nervous and sloppy, and his hand was a bit shaky. His hand moved up further, until it was under my skirt, just inches away from my sex. I ached in between my legs; I kissed him more passionately, slipping my tongue beyond his lips. He tasted of iron and mint.   
I could hear the sound of his heartbeat pounding my ears, and wondered if he could hear mine as well. His hand lightly grazed the outside of my underwear, sending a shiver up my spine. I held my breath as his hand teased me again. I finally exhaled shakily, feeling his fingers slip beneath the hem of my panties.


	13. Under Starry Skies

His fingers felt rough and clumsy at first, but eventually found their way to my clitoris. I moaned into his mouth as he rubbed it gently, arching myself against his hand. Zero responded by applying more pressure to my most sensitive spot. I had never had anyone touch me there, nor had I ever explored with touching myself. Every move his fingers made sent shockwaves through my body; new, unexplored feelings bubbling up inside of me. There was a need growing in my lower belly that I couldn’t explain, but the more Zero touched me, the stronger it got.  
As he continued, a pressure began to build behind his fingers. I almost felt as if I was going to pee. Frightened, I placed my hand over his and moved it away. He stopped kissing me and eyed me with a worried expression. “Are you alright, Hana?”  
I nodded, grabbing his torso with my hands and tugging on him so that he got back on top of me. He did, this time allowing his body to rest against mine. The uncomfortable feeling when away as soon as he stopped rubbing, and I felt my face getting hot as I realized that there was a hard bulge against my sex. Cautiously, I moved my hand to the front of his pants as I kissed his lips. He exhaled onto my lips as my hand gingerly grasped his erection, moving his hips forward, pushing himself into my hand.  
I carefully found the button on his pants and used both hands to undo it. I tugged down his zipper and began to pull his pants down, but Zero’s hand reached down and instead took out his member, only moving his pants down enough to expose himself. As my hand was resting on the shaft of his penis, curiosity was killing me; I wanted to look at his sex. I had never seen a penis in my life, and it felt so strange in my hand. It was hard, but the skin was very soft. It felt like a large cluster of muscles, and I felt it pulsating occasionally as Zero guided my hand up and down its length.  
He moved next to me again, allowing me to access him easier. I pulled away from his lips and looked down between us. His erect member was in my hand; it looked pinker than the rest of his skin. The tip was larger than the shaft, and it felt different when my hand brushed against it. “Is this good?” I asked him as I increased the speed of my hand. He moaned and nodded, moving his face into the crook of his neck. I felt his canines gently graze my neck, his tongue following them. I realized that he had purposely scratched my skin with his teeth to draw a bit of blood. “Drink from me, Zero.” I told him.  
Zero murmured, “Are you sure?”  
“Yes.” I moved my hand up and down his shaft faster, making him let out a small moan. I gasped as his teeth sunk into my neck, causing a mix of pleasure and pain. He drank from me slowly, and I tried to continue focusing on his member, but was distracted as he drank; my hand became sloppy and slow.  
When he was finished drinking, he kissed me on the lips, the taste of my blood entering my mouth as I began to stroke him quickly again. He pulled out of the kiss and whispered breathlessly, “I-I’m going to cum.”  
I was vaguely aware of what he meant, but I wasn’t expecting it to…shoot out, the way it did. I felt his erection begin to have waves of pulsation, and a white stream came out of the top, staining the blanket below us. He gasped loudly, resting his forehead against mine as his entire body seemed to shake in waves. I stopped moving my hand when the liquid ceased, carefully wiping it on the blanket, as some had gotten on my fingers. Zero caught his breath and pulled his pants back over his sex.  
Zero glanced down at the blanket and blushed profusely, quickly folding it over so that the part with his juices was covered up. He quickly kissed my forehead and pulled me close to him. His hand rubbed my back, and I relaxed into his arms. His other hand slid down and groped my thigh again, making me shrink away from him and shake my head.  
“What’s wrong? Was I hurting you?” Zero looked genuinely concerned, and as embarrassed as I was, I blurted out:  
“It felt like I was going to pee or something.”  
Zero’s eyes grew wide, and I saw a smile playing at his lips. Oh, great. He was going to laugh at me. “Hana, it’s okay. You weren’t going to pee. It just means that you were going to have an orgasm.”  
If my face could get any redder, it would have at the word “orgasm”. I felt his hand travel further up my thigh, and I bit my lip apprehensively. “Are you sure? How do you know?” I pressed him further.  
“Hana, I’ve been at this school for a long time. I have read every book in that library, including the ones on sexual reproduction. Trust me. It’s supposed to feel that way.” Zero kissed my lips gently, his hand still rubbing my thigh. “Now, will you allow me to show you the pleasure that you have shown me?”  
I exhaled nervously, but nodded my head. I felt his hands slip under the hem of my underwear again, once again finding my clitoris. Zero pressed his lips to mine again, slipping his tongue into my mouth. I moaned into him as he rubbed inside my folds, and swirled his tongue around mine. His touch was more fluid than before; he seemed much more relaxed and comfortable now. I tried to relax as well, absorbing his touch like a sponge.  
The pressure inside my lower belly began to build up again, and I arched myself into Zero’s hand. His touch felt electric, sending shockwaves through my body. The pressure built further, and I once again felt like I was going to pee. I really hoped Zero was right about what he had said. This time, I did not stop his touch.  
I gasped as waves of pleasure coursed through my body. I threw my head back and felt every muscle in my body contracting at once; the pressure in my lower belly releasing all at once. The waves of pleasure became more and more, until the sensation tapered off and I tried to catch my breath. Zero slipped his hand out from under my skirt and wrapped both his arms around me, pulling me close.   
My breathing was still heavy, and Zero’s hand began rubbing my back tenderly. I craned my neck up to kiss his cheek. “See?” Zero began, “You have to trust me.” He smiled and winked at me.  
His words were meant as a solace, as a bit of a tease about my worrying. But, I thought about it. And I realized that I did trust him, in every sense of the word. I knew that he would look out for me, and never harm me. My hand found his cheek, and he turned to lock eyes with me. “I do trust you, Zero.”


	14. A Four Letter Word

Mother backed against the wall, screaming as she buried her face in her hands. My aunt and Nami were with her this time, both screaming and crying as well. This time, as the man approached them with his gun cocked, he turned and looked at me. He flash me a smile before he shot them each in the head, one after the other.  
I woke in the middle of my sleep and sat up too quickly. That wasn’t how it happened, either. Why was I having these nightmares over and over? Father said that the man was caught and killed. I shouldn’t be having these dreams again. Yet, this was the second time in one week that I had dreamt about Mother’s murder.  
I didn’t want to sleep alone after having that dream. I rose from my bed and crept across the hall, slipping into Zero’s room without knocking. I didn’t want to wake him. He was sleeping soundly, lying on his back with his hand over his stomach and his head turned to the side. I stood over him for a moment, admiring how calm and peaceful he looked as he slept. His hair was messy and spread out on his pillow, and his legs were in a strange configuration. Softly, I slid into bed with him.  
I must not have been as quiet as I thought I was, because Zero awoke as I laid down next to him. He rubbed his eyes and turned to me, pulling me close to him before even asking, “What’s wrong?”  
“I didn’t want to sleep alone.” I whispered.  
“Something happen?”  
“I had another nightmare. Kind of the same one, but it was slightly skewed this time.”  
Zero gently rubbed my back and quickly kissed my forehead. “Want to talk about it?”  
I shook my head. I didn’t want to talk about that. But, I did need to tell him that Father was planning on coming and taking me home in a few days. I had been avoiding the subject since I found out, and seeing as Zero was half asleep, I thought it might be a good time to slip that information to him. “Zero? My father called a few days ago.”  
“What’d he say?”  
“He said that they caught and killed the man who murdered my mother, aunt, and cousin.”  
“That’s great, Hana.” Zero sleepily kissed my forehead again. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”  
Shit. He was awake enough that he would react to what I had to say. I wanted to chicken out of telling him, but I was halfway there now. “Because he’s coming here in a few days to try and take me home.” I couldn’t control it; tears began streaming down my face so suddenly that I couldn’t stop it from happening. “And I won’t leave you, Zero, so I’m not going with him.”  
Zero’s eyes widened and became glossy. I saw him biting his lip, and he looked like I had just ripped his heart out of his chest. “Hana, you…” Zero’s lavender eyes became as teary as mine. He tried to clear his throat and stop his emotions from pouring out, but this time he couldn’t. I watched through my own watering eyes as tears began falling from his, as well. He lowered his head and his body shook, unable to finish his sentence.  
My arms tightened around him and my crying turned into near sobbing. “I’m not going, Zero. I won’t.”  
“He will force you to.” Zero choked out.  
“Then we will leave before he has the chance to.”  
“We have nowhere to go.”  
I pulled away from his grip suddenly, using my hand to lift his head so that our eyes we locked together again. “I’m not leaving you, Zero. I would rather die than be without you.”  
Tears continued to leak from his eyes, though he tried to desperately to stop them. “I would, too.”  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
That night, the Headmaster was making the soup as I rolled sushi, just as it had been since I began working in the kitchen with him. I waited until I had finished the rolls and he moved on to the omelets. When he told me to head back for the night, I asked him, “Headmaster, remember when you said that you would stand up for me if I didn’t want to marry the man my father chose for me?”  
He stopped what he was doing to give me his full attention. “Yes, of course I do.”  
“He wants to bring me home in a few days.”  
The Headmaster looked at me over his spectacles, almost analyzing me. “Do you not want to go back because of your arranged marriage, or is it more than that?”  
“What do you mean?” I asked him, although I had a pretty good idea of what-or whom- he was referring to.  
“You shouldn’t have to marry someone just because he was chosen for you by your father. That said, I’m sure your father will not take kindly to you being with a vampire who was once human. Either way, Hana, I will advocate for you.” He went back to his eggs, adding, “I think you and Zero belong together. He has changed since meeting you. He has someone to love again.”  
The Headmaster’s words echoed in my ears as I left the kitchen. He had said that Zero had someone to love again. Did Zero love me? I wasn’t sure. The only thing I was sure about was that I harbored feelings for him that I had never experienced before, and he seemed to reciprocate them. If that was love, then we must love each other.


	15. Courage

“He will be here any minute.” I told Zero, my palms beginning to sweat. My heart was pounding out of my chest, and I could feel my hands shaking.  
“It will be okay.” Zero told me, placing his arm around my shoulders.  
We were sitting at the window in Zero’s room, waiting for his car to pull in. We had been here for only a few minutes, but my stomach was beginning to feel sick. I was afraid to tell my father that I wouldn’t leave. I was afraid to tell him that I wanted to be with Zero. My fears were consuming me, and I was starting to doubt that I would have the courage to tell my father anything at all.  
Headlights rounded into the drive, and I held my breath. Zero planted a reassuring kiss on the top of my head, but it still did not calm my nerves. He stood, holding out his hand to me. I placed my hand in his and he helped me to stand, not letting go after he did. We walked to his bedroom door and down the hall. As we were descending the stairs, the doorbell chimed. Zero let go of my hand, and the Headmaster appeared behind us.  
“Are you ready, Hana?” He asked me, stepping ahead of us to open the door. I nodded, even though I was not.  
“Hanako, my darling!” Father scooped me into his arms when the Headmaster opened the door. I relished in his embrace until he let go of me, holding me by the shoulders and looking me over. “You look as lovely as ever.”  
“Thank you, Father.” I said quietly.  
Father turned to the Headmaster and shook his hand, thanking him for allowing me to stay here. The Headmaster and he spoke briefly, before Father noticed Zero standing a foot away from me. He eyed him up, his nose twitching. When they made eye contact, Zero held out his hand. “Hello, sir. My name is Zero. I live here at the Academy.”  
Father took his hand, almost begrudgingly, and then turned back to me. “Hanako.” He lowered his voice. “Would you mind telling me why your blood is flowing through this young man’s veins?”  
I swallowed hard, feeling a lump forming in my throat. I refused to look at Father, instead staring down at the floor. “Because he drank from me, Father.”  
I could hear the rage in his voice as he spoke again, “And why would you let this human-turned-vampire drink your blood? Do you realize that you are a Pureblood, and that you are not to fraternize with-“  
“He’s very important to me, Father.” I interrupted him, raising my eyes to match his.  
His eyebrows raised, in a mix of shock and anger. “Then I supposed you’ve drank his blood too, hmm? I smell the scent of many Purebloods on him. He must have a habit of coercing Purebloods into sharing their gift with him and then-“  
“It’s not like that!” Now I was raising my voice. Zero gently placed his hand on my arm, trying to calm me down.  
“Hana, it’s okay. He can think whatever he wants.” He said quietly.  
I shook my head. “No. I won’t stand for it.” I stepped away from Zero and towards my father, looking into his eyes. I could feel the rage burning inside of me, eating away at my fear and anxiety. I was no longer afraid to tell my father how I felt. “I am not marrying that Pureblood you’ve chosen for me, Father. And I am not leaving this Academy.”  
If his eyebrows could raise any higher, they would have. His face got as red as my hair, and I saw him balling his right hand into a fist. “You think I will allow you to stay here and be with this half-human scum?”  
The Headmaster stepped in between us, then. “I think we should all have a conversation about everyone’s wishes. Should I make some tea?”  
Father shook his head, his eyes never leaving mine for a second. “That won’t be necessary. I am taking my daughter and leaving. Go get your bags, Hanako.”  
I shook my head. “I won’t.”  
“Go get your things, Hanako.” His face softened slightly, but still remained red with anger. “I know you may be apprehensive about the man I have picked for your husband, but you haven’t even met him yet.” He was trying to reason with me. “You will learn to love him.”  
“No, I won’t.” I felt tears brimming over my eyes, and I blurted out, “I won’t love anyone else, because I already love Zero!” My face grew hot and I knew that it must be pink. Tears continued to fall as I backed away from my father and grabbed the handle to the front door. I swung it open and ran onto the porch, slamming it behind me. I ran as fast as I could manage, into the woods that I had found the rabbit in when I first arrived here. I ran and ran, not turning back for a second. I didn’t stop until I was deep enough that I knew he wasn’t behind me. I listened carefully, but didn’t hear his heavy footsteps on my trail.  
Finally, I relaxed against the trunk of a tree, catching my breath. The air was warm, and there was no breeze in the night air tonight. I closed my eyes for a moment, wondering if my father would come looking for me, or if the Headmaster would talk some sense into him. My eyes shot open as I heard a rustling in front of me. “Z-Zero?” I whispered. There was no answer. My eyes finally adjusted, and I saw a figure ten feet in front of me.  
It wasn’t Zero. It stepped closer to me, slowly, almost staggering. Finally, I realized what it was, and I screamed. The Level E that stood in front lunged forward, its claws scraping my arm. I screamed, but Zero wasn’t here to save me this time. I felt fear rising up inside of me, but also adrenaline. I felt as I did standing up to my father, a fire burning inside of me that could not be contained. I stepped backwards, holding out my hands in front of me. I heard myself scream, “Go away, you monster!”  
It did go away. It was charred to dust right in front of me, by the power of my own hands. The fire shot out in little balls, igniting it instantly. It disintegrated to dust in seconds, and I felt myself bump up against something. I turned, expecting to find myself backed up against a tree, but instead I found Zero. I turned fully, throwing myself into his arms.  
“Your powers, Hana…You used your powers.” He whispered, holding onto me tightly.   
“I-I used them.” I was shocked, myself.  
“I’m really proud of you.” Zero told me.  
“I think I just needed to push myself and then it just…happened.”  
“Not just for that.” Zero kissed my lips, brushing my hair back with his hand. “For standing up to your father, too.”  
I nodded in agreement, moving my arms up so that they were around his neck loosely.  
“Did you mean what you told him, Hana?” Zero’s face grew a bit pink. “Do you love me?”  
I nodded, a blush spreading across my own cheeks. “I do love you, Zero.”  
Zero pulled me closer, then. He pressed his lips to mine fervently. “I love you, Hana.”


	16. Sacrifice

Zero held my hand as we wove our way out of the woods. After I had ran off, the Headmaster had convinced my father to sit and talk with him, and Zero had come looking for me. I didn’t know what to expect as the Headmaster’s building came into view. Still, Zero held onto my hand as we climbed the steps and entered the foyer. At the sound of the door closing, we heard shuffling coming from down the hall. The Headmaster and Father appeared, Father still harboring an angry expression.  
“Hana, I tried to-“ The Headmaster began, but my father interrupted him.  
“Get your things, Hanako. We are leaving.” He said gruffly, glaring at mine and Zero’s hands, which were still clasped together.  
“No.” I told him. “I’m not leaving Zero.”  
Father’s face got red then, and he reached into his coat pocket in one swift motion. “If this is how you are going to be, Hanako, I am done putting up with this behavior. I am done playing games with you and this monster!” He shouted.  
My body acted just as quickly as his did, as soon as I realized what he was pulling from his coat pocket. It all happened to quickly that my head began to spin- I think I may have screamed, or cried out. I shoved myself in front of Zero, wrapping my body around him before he even realized what was going on. I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder as I heard the shot fire, my ears beginning to ring. The last thing I heard was Father’s voice shouting my name. The last thing I saw was Zero’s face, shocked and trembling, before everything went black.  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
The first thing I saw when my eyes opened again were Zero’s face, this time lined with worry. He was blurry, and I felt weak. There was a dull ache in my shoulder still, and my throat felt dry. I tried to speak, or reach out to Zero, but he shook his head.  
“Don’t strain yourself. You were shot with an anti-vampire gun, Hana.” Zero leaned forward and held something to my lips. “Drink.” He told me. I obeyed, and the taste of blood filled my mouth. I swallowed quickly, grateful for the blood. It would help me heal quicker.  
I wanted to tell Zero to come and lie with me, but the only sound I could produce was a low whine. Zero leaned close to me, so that his head was right by my mouth. “Try and tell me again.” He coaxed me gently.  
“Lie down.” I managed, my throat burning as I spoke, although I hardly made a sound.  
Zero quickly moved next to me, lying on top of the blankets. He wrapped his arm around my stomach, nuzzling his head against mine. I took comfort in his warmth next to me, and felt my eyes closing again. I drifted off again, to the feeling of Zero’s lips against my forehead, and his voice telling me, “Get some rest, Hana.”  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
When I woke again, Zero was still by my side. His eyes were bloodshot, and I realized that he probably hadn’t been sleeping. When He saw my eyes open, he jumped up and brought me another bottle of blood. He held it to my lips as I sipped it, and then placed the empty bottle on the nightstand. “Can you speak? How do you feel?” His eyes were filled with worry, and I felt so bad for making him feel that way.   
My shoulder felt a little better, and my throat moister. I didn’t feel as groggy, and my vision was back to normal. “I’m okay.” I told him quietly. I then noticed the Headmaster sitting on a chair across the room. “Headmaster?”  
He rose and joined us at the bed, taking my hand into his. “I’m sorry, Hana.” He apologized to me for reasons unknown to me, but I was too tired to ask him what he was apologizing for.   
“How long have I been here?” That didn’t come out the way I intended it to. I meant to ask how long it had been since I was shot. My words were unable to match my thoughts.  
“Two days.” Zero whispered.  
“Sleep with me, Zero.” I wanted him to rest. I could tell that he hadn’t slept in the past two days. “Sleep.” I whispered again.  
Zero nodded, closing his eyes to appease me.   
“You should listen to her, Zero.” The Headmaster told him. “I will stay right here in case she wakes up and needs anything. Rest with her.” His voice was gentle and soothing, and I hoped that Zero would sleep. I felt my eyes closing, and my thoughts slipped away as I fell asleep once more.  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
I awoke to Zero’s hand on my face, his thumb gently caressing my cheek. I smiled as I opened my eyes, nuzzling into his touch. My shoulder had gone from pain to a dull ache, and I was grateful for that. Zero brought his face close to mine and kissed my forehead. “I am so glad that you’re okay, Hana.”  
I scanned the room, and seeing that the Headmaster was not there, I asked him, “What happened, Zero?”  
Zero bit his lip, sitting up slowly. “Your father tried to kill me, and you threw yourself in front of me.” Zero looked at me with painful eyes, his lip trembling slightly. “Why would you do something so reckless, Hana?”  
I tried to sit up, and Zero helped me, fluffing my pillows behind me. “Thank you.” I thanked him before explaining, “It didn’t kill me, and I knew it wouldn’t, but it might have killed you.” I winced as I adjusted myself to be more comfortable. “And even if that wasn’t the case, I would never allow you to be hurt if I could stop it.”  
“Hana, I appreciate how much you care…But please, don’t put yourself in danger on my account. I can’t lose you.” Zero reached down and took my hand into his.  
“Zero, what happened after I was shot?” I finally asked him. I had been avoiding the subject, because I knew by the fact that Father wasn’t here, that something bad had happened. I wasn’t sure that I was ready to know yet, but I needed to know if Father was okay, if he had agreed to let me stay at the Academy.  
Zero sighed deeply. “Your father and the Headmaster fought.” He said quietly. “Your father tried to take you away…When I wouldn’t let go of you, he held his gun to me again, and…The Headmaster…He took out his sword.”


	17. Passion

Tears began to spills from Zero’s eyes, and he wrapped his arms around me. “Hana, please forgive him.”   
“Is he dead?” I broke down in tears in Zero’s arms, feeling his own tears mixing with mine, slipping from his cheeks down to his neck, where I had rested my face.  
Zero didn’t respond with words, but his body shook as his crying turned to sobbing, and I began to sob with him. Father was dead. The Headmaster had killed him, but I couldn’t be angry at him for that. He had been protecting Zero, and protecting me. Zero’s strong arms held onto me tightly, and he lifted me, gently placing me in between his legs. He held me from behind, his arms crossing over my chest to hold me up. His face was now resting on my shoulder, and his legs were wrapped around mine. I would have thought this position would hurt my shoulder, but I was too overcome with grief to feel any pain at all.  
“Hana…” He murmured my name into my neck quietly. “It’s going to be okay.”  
I nodded through my tears. I knew that. As long as Zero was there, I never doubted that it would all end up okay. I pulled away from his grip and turned to face him, still inside the next of his legs. I placed my hands on either side of his face, where his tears were now dry. I studied his face; the small dots of a darker purple in his eyes. The worried crease at his brow, the smooth surface of his cheeks. I looked at his shiny, silver hair, down to the tattoo on his neck. I examined every inch of him that was available to me, soaking him in.  
Zero didn’t say a word as I stared, his eyes maintaining contact with mine the entire time. He was breathing slowly and deeply, his hands resting on the small of my back. I moved my hands up to his hair and ran my fingers through it tenderly. “I love you, Zero. I’m glad you’re safe.”  
“Hana…I love you.” He looked at me with eyes filled with sadness and pain, and I knew that mine matched his, but none of this was his fault. “I am so sorry, Hana.”  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
“Come closer.” I whispered to Zero, shifting towards him on the blanket that we had lay up on the rooftop. It had been two weeks since the incident with Father, and my physical wounds were long gone. I still felt an aching in my heart about Father, but I knew that the Headmaster had done what he needed to do. He had apologize to me profusely, but I had told him the truth- he had nothing to apologize for. He had promised me that he would stand up for me and that is exactly what he did, until the last second.  
Our heads were now inches away from each other, as we lay facing each other. I leaned forward and kissed him tenderly, feeling his lips reciprocating my action. His hands found my torso, and mine made their way to his chest. As his hands found their way underneath my shirt, they made their way higher than they had before, inches away from my bra. I felt the buttons of his shirt against my hands, and began to undo them. His lips didn’t leave mine as I helped him out of his shirt. My hands touched his toned skin, moving from his chest down to his stomach and then back again. I felt the warm feeling of arousal growing in between my legs as Zero helped pull my shirt over my head.  
Things were moving quickly, passion-fueled lust overtaking us. I don’t know where it came from, but it hit us like a train. One minute we were lying next to each other and talking, and then we were kissing. Within minutes, we were both sitting up, and Zero was unhooking my bra. I gasped as his hands found my breasts, gingerly squeezing them. I felt my nipples growing erect at his touch, and my sex began to ache for the same treatment. I found myself getting on his lap, my sex being greeted with contact from the bulging erection in his pants. I didn’t know how we began moving so fast, but I didn’t want to stop it, either. I brought my lips from his own, down to his neck. I gently kissed his tattoo, and then licked the sweet skin that it covered.  
“Go ahead, Hana.” Zero was practically moaning, as much as I was writhing with anticipation. I sunk my teeth into his neck, drinking from him for a few moments before pulling away. His blood tasted warm and sweet, and I could feel the lust flowing through his veins. His breathing had become heavy, and I saw beads of sweat on his forehead. “D-Do you want to…” Zero grabbed me by the hips and thrust his own forward, causing me to grind against his member.  
“Yes.” I told him, my voice completely sure of myself.  
Zero guided me to lie down on the blanket. He began kissing my neck, his hand moving from my breasts down to my thighs. His hand lightly grazed the skin of my inner thigh, making me shiver with anticipation. “Drink, Zero.” I told him, as his lips touched my neck once more. Zero didn’t question me, and sunk his teeth right into my neck. I moaned softly as he did, the experience even more intimate than usual, given our current state.  
“I love you, Zero.” I told him, as he pulled away.  
“I love you, Hana.”


	18. Fire On my Skin

I wasn’t as nervous as I expected to be as Zero slid my skirt down, leaving me in nothing but my underwear. He slowly undid his pants buckle, and took of his pants, as well. His bulge was fully visible through his boxer briefs, and I reached out my hand to touch it. He let me stroke it through his underwear for a few moments, and then he placed his hands on the hem of my underwear. He leaned down and kissed the outside of the fabric, making me shiver with delight. He slid my panties down, and began rubbing my button gently with his thumb. He planted soft kisses on the inside of my thighs, making me gasp. The warm arousal peaking from his thumb ached to be touched by more than his fingers.  
After teasing my thighs for a few moments, Zero moved his thumb and replaced it with his tongue. I gasped as the warmth and wetness provided me with new sensations; his tongue made small circles on my most sensitive spot. A swirling sensation entered my ribs and belly, like a growing need that grew with every second that Zero teased my button. Finally, I felt him slip a finger inside of me, making me gasp. He moved his mouth away, and his head back up to mine. He kissed my forehead lightly, as his finger explored my opening.  
“Does this hurt?” He asked me.  
I shook my head readily. “It doesn’t hurt at all.” I told him honestly.  
I felt Zero slip a second finger inside, and I adapted to the new size. He brought his lips to mine, kissing me deeply enough that I tasted myself on him. I could feel our kiss travel from my lips, down my throat, and into my stomach, adding to my pressing need for him to be inside of me. Zero’s fingers slid out of me, and instead slid his underwear down. He got between my legs, hovering over me. “Are you ready?” He asked me.  
I nodded. “Yes.” I told him, bringing his lips back to mine.  
I felt a pinching pain and then a burn as he entered me, but that soon tapered off into a feeling of pleasure. He filled me up completely, slowly getting deeper. I felt him in every inch of my body- not just my sex. His body on top of mine, his lips connected with mine. Our bodies were one, and I moaned into his mouth. I wanted more of him- I wanted him to move faster, to fill the need in my stomach. This was a different feeling than when he touched my clitoris- something was building up inside me, and with each thrust, I was closer to releasing it.  
I moved my hands to his hips and guided him to thrust at a quicker pace. He obliged, breaking our kiss and beginning to breathe heavily. I felt as if I was floating, the need in my stomach growing into a pressure, that sent shivers down my spine when he hit just the right spot. His girth finally filled me to the point where I could no longer control myself; time stopped as the sensations ripped through my body. Every inch of my skin was on fire, every fiber of my being releasing an energy that I didn’t know I had store away inside of me. I gasped loudly, not realizing at first, that I was moaning his name.  
“Oh, fuck.” Zero breathed in my ear, his hand gripping mine tightly. Moments later, he pulled himself out of me and moved his hand up and down his length as his juices landed on my stomach. I didn’t mind; I looked at his face as he came. His eyes were closed and mouth slightly open, his body shaking in quick waves. Beads of sweat were pooling at his forehead, and his cheeks were pleasantly pink. A look of relief spread across his face as he composed himself. He leaned back, panting, as he reached down and used the blanket to clean off my stomach. He sat back for a moment to catch his breath, and then he pulled his underwear back on. He folded over the blanket so that the bits with his fluids were hidden, and then he laid back next to me. He brought his lips to mine, and whispered, “I love you.”  
“I love you.” I responded to him. I reached for my panties and pulled them back on, suddenly feeling exposed. I then snuggled up to Zero, relaxing against his body. I could hear his heart beating rhythmically with mine. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, smelling the scent of his blood, his sweat, and something musky and woodsy- like pine needles. I nuzzled against him, placing my hand on his strong chest. This is exactly where I was meant to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For now, this is the end. If you would like more, please let me know and I will write more. Also, I am always looking for prompts. If you have any prompts that you would like written about, feel free to send those to me. You can see on my page the fandoms that I write about.


End file.
